Deformable beverage containers for preserving carbonation

Abstract

The invention relates to deformable beverage containers for minimizing empty space in the container, to which CO 2 can escape, and for increasing pressure in the container for stopping evaporation of CO 2 from the beverage. With the container cap off or loose, the deformable portion of the container is compressed until the beverage reaches the top of the container. The cap is then secured and further compression applied until a desired pressure is reached. One embodiment covers regular bottles with a special bottle cap, comprising a check valve connected to inflatable bladder, and valve/spout arrangement for dispensing the beverage without opening the bottle. Another embodiment covers special internally deformable containers to which the beverage is transferred for preservation. A third embodiment covers plastic bottles with an external compressing mechanism for deforming the bottle and increasing pressure for maintaining the beverage during further storage.

I claim: 
     
       1. A beverage container, at least partially deformable, for preserving the CO 2  gas in carbonated beverages, comprising: a beverage the carbonation of which is to be preserved;   cap means for covering said container;   a deformable portion means of said container;   force means for deforming said deformable portion means for diminishing the internal volume of said container, therefore raising the level of said beverage to near the top of said container; thereby drastically reducing the empty volume over said beverage, to which CO 2  gas could escape;   said force means being capable of also providing for an increase in the pressure inside said container to a desirable pressure, approximately equal to the CO 2  pressure in the body of said beverage, while said cap has been tightly secured on said container;   latching means for substantially maintaining the final shape of said deformable portion means during further storage of said beverage in said container; and   pressure indicator means for showing when a desirable pressure has been reached inside the container by the operation of said force means.   
     
     
       2. A compressing and latching mechanism for preserving CO 2  gas in carbonated beverages comprising: a beverage the carbonation of which is to be preserved;   a deformable plastic bottle for containing said beverage;   cap means for covering said bottle;   jaw plate means operable to hold and to compress said plastic bottle, by forces provided by the hands of a user, for diminishing the internal volume of said container, therefore raising the level of said beverage to near the top of said container; thereby drastically reducing the volume of empty space over said beverage, to which CO 2  gas could escape;   latching means for maintaining the final position of said jaw plate means during further storage;   mechanical advantage means for multiplying the force applied by the user's hands into a force, across said jaw plate means, sufficient for raising the pressure in said bottle, while said cap has been secured, to a pressure substantially equal to that of the CO 2  in said beverage; and   pressure indicator means for showing when a desirable pressure is reached inside said bottle.   
     
     
       3. The mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said mechanical advantage means comprises line means, pulley means and reel means for engaging with said line means, and crank means; thereby the final mechanical advantage gained is the product of the ratio of crank radius to radius of said reel means and the number of pulleys used; and wherein said latching means comprises ratchet and pawl means. 
     
     
       4. The method for preserving carbonation in beverages comprising the steps of: (a) enclosing the beverage into a container which is at least partially deformable and is further comprising an opening and a cover; said cover being removable, leaving the container open; loosenable, to allow air from inside the container to escape; and tightenable, to prevent leakage of gas from inside to outside the container;     (b) after each dispensing event and with said cover removed or loose, deforming the container for decreasing its internal volume until the beverage's top surface reaches the vicinity of said opening; thereby, forcing air from inside the container to escape;   (c) with said cover tightly covering said container, further deforming said container until pressure inside the container reaches a desirable pressure level, which prevents CO 2  gas from evaporating from the beverage to an empty portion of the container.